Islamabad, January 23, 2026: Pepsi, long regarded as a household name among Pakistan’s leading beverage brands, has come under scrutiny in the federal capital after a surprise inspection revealed what authorities described as grave threats to public health.
The Islamabad Food Authority (IFA) has sealed Haideri Beverages and Beverages Plus — the principal distributors of Pepsi in Islamabad — after uncovering multiple food safety violations at their facilities in Humak Model Town.
According to sources, the action followed a surprise raid conducted by the IFA in coordination with the ICT Assistant Commissioner, based on intelligence reports pointing to serious health and hygiene risks. What inspectors found during the operation raised significant concern among enforcement officials.
Authorities alleged that expired and fungus-contaminated sugar was being used in the manufacturing of Pepsi and other soft drinks. The inspection team documented at least four major violations, including the failure to comply with previous warnings issued by the Food Authority.
Officials said around 150 sugar bags were found with tampered expiry dates, indicating deliberate mislabeling. Inspectors also observed cockroach infestation on sugar bags, while large quantities of sugar were stored directly on the floor, in clear violation of hygiene and food safety standards.
To determine the extent of contamination, IFA officials collected two samples of spilled sugar for laboratory testing. Pending the test results, the Authority sealed a total of 54,874 sugar bags across both facilities.
As part of the enforcement action, entire warehouses were shut down, and all production, sales, and procurement activities were suspended with immediate effect until further notice. Officials disclosed that the expired sugar alone is valued at millions of rupees, underscoring the scale of the alleged violations.
Pepsi has yet to issue an official response to the development. This story will be updated once a statement from the company is received.
